Clemente's arm was not only powerful but it also featured laser-like precision. 22). Luis Mieses OF (Prev. Best Outfield Arm. Trent Grisham, San Diego Padres Robert may have the higher ceiling of the two, but he also has the lower floor. He had just 18 swings and misses at in-zone pitches in the entire regular season. Baseball's best arms: Ranking MLB's top 10 starters & relievers for 2021. While his .286 on-base percentage and 31.2 percent strikeout rate leave something to be desired, he was a stellar defender (16 DRS, 11.8 UZR/150) to go along with his power production in a 3.8 WAR season. His middling defense (-6 DRS, -4.8 UZR/150) and the time he missed kept him from ranking any higher. He had nine assists in 2022. . Kolten Wong -- Best Defensive Second Baseman (NL) Francisco Lindor -- Best Defensive Shortstop (AL/NL) Bob Melvin -- Best Manager (AL) Below are the 2021 winners, followed by voting results. Starling Marte made a unique bit of history in 2021, becoming the first player in MLB history with at least 20 stolen bases in both leagues in the same season. Previous picks: DJ LeMahieu (hit), Aaron Judge (power), Ronald Acua Jr. (run), Matt Chapman (defense). He's a career .225/.337/.409 hitter in the minors, and his strikeout rate has risen at every level, topping out at 27% in Triple-A last year and 28.2% in his 238-plate appearance MLB debut . Ha-Seong Kim (Padres): 95.2 mph 4. Tabbed as the 58th-best outfield prospect nationally (D1Baseball). At 321 feet, it was the longest on-the-fly throw for an outfield assist tracked by Statcast (since 2015). . The question that resonated at the end of October is about the best position player on the planet -- Betts, or Mike Trout? Now it's time to finalize those rankings while expanding the list out to the 25 best at each position on the diamond, which means each position is going to get its own article. Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? He had an average max-effort arm strength of 94.1 mph, seventh-fastest among MLB outfielders (min. The biggest surprise has been Austin Riley, who looked like the weak link after posting an 84 OPS+ in 503 plate appearances over his first two seasons. Whitaker was ranked the #37 prospect by MLB. These guys. One important stipulation: Each player could only be selected for one of the five tools. The Tampa Bay Rays began the offseason by declining their $4.5 million club option on catcher Mike Zunino, who logged a 50 OPS+ and minus-0.2 WAR in 118 games with the team in 2019 and 2020. Here are the players who just missed the cut, listed alphabetically: 25. My guess, after talking with folks who know him: Yelich was among the players affected by how dramatically the COVID-19 protocol changed processes. Managers who don't grab an outfielder in the first two rounds will still have an ample supply of impact players Edmonds is currently third among active players in outfield assists with 131. 6 spot. He's not just an MVP-caliber hitter; he has one of the strongest outfield arms in the league. The league may have changed the rules on shifting . Most teams need to go at least six starters deep over the course of a season, and the Brew Crew also have three quality back-end starters behind their ace-caliber arms. Ramon Laureano, Oakland A's He also once again took home Gold Glove honors in a 6.3 WAR season. Take a look at this strikeout from his MLB debut season in 2021: At the moment Drew Rasmussen releases this fastball, Duran's hands are moving up and back, his leg is elevated, and he has a whole lot of movement to execute to catch up with the 98-mph pitch. Ichiro has the strongest and most powerful arm of any outfielder in the major leagues today. More MLB videos How Does Carlos Correa Fit on the Giants? 2023 MLB Top 30 Prospects; Rankings; Players; Draft; Store; . Sun's out, guns out. When he's locked in and at his best, they reported, he's consistently pulling the ball, driving it, and this is not what Betts was doing. His career will always be under a microscope, but it's hard to call his 2021 performance anything but superstar-caliber. Base runners in the National League feared the arm of Roberto Clemente. Harper hit .338/.476/.713 with 20 home runs after the All-Star break, doing his part to help a Phillies team that tried in vain to chase down a postseason berth. Tagged: 2023 MLB Draft, MLB Draft, Dylan Crews, Jacob Gonzalez, Max Clark, Brock Wilken, Walker Jenkins, Christian Little, Patrick Reilly, Dylan Cupp, Thomas White, Enrique Bradfield, Tanner Witt, Jaxon Wiggins, Teddy McGraw, Carson Montgomery, TJ Nichols, Drew Bowser, Jackson Baumeister, Will Sanders, Blake Mitchell, Tre' Morgan, Tommy Troy, Look no further than Realmuto, the class of defenders behind home plate and the quickest gun in the Major Leagues. Gorbous is the answer to the trivia question: "Who has the longest throw in baseball history"? He scored 15 runs in 18 postseason games, reminded everyone that he's the best baserunner in the game -- and then there was his defense, with layer upon layer of highlights. Despite playing only eight seasons, Jackson managed to rack up 49 assists. RP - Joe Mantiply, ARI (2.5 BB%) Devin Wiles. In Trout's only three games in the postseason, as the Angels were swept by the Royals in a 2014 division series, he went 1-for-12 with a solo home run and three walks. The 28-year-old hit .291 with 35 homers, 97 RBIs, 106 runs and an .899 OPS the last time we saw him. Cobb's 392 outfield assists are second all-time. Jackson is known most for his alleged participation in the Black Sox Scandal and the fact that he was banned from baseball by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis following the 1920 season. Who Are the Best Outfield Arms in MLB? However, the slugger has missed nearly a full seasons worth of games (142) over the past three years due to an assortment of injuries, which is something for fantasy managers to keep in mind. Honorable Mention: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants. Rodriguez was a top 10 prospect on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 international prospects list for 2019-20 when the signing period opened up in July of 2019. . Let's marvel at the all-around game that is Mookie Betts. Like with many of the other top outfielders on this list, runners knew not to try for extra bases when the ball was anywhere near Barfield's hands. The 26-year-old had 32 doubles, 20 home runs, 20 steals and 94 runs scored, and he was a Gold Glove finalist in left field. Just like the regular-season rankings, players are ranked solely on the 2021 season. He has 19 homers in 63 postseason games, and only three players have more: Manny Ramirez (29), Bernie Williams (22) and Derek Jeter (20). . Fantasy managers can still find some starting-caliber outfielders in this tier. Kaline was known for his perfect throwing from and his ability to catch and throw. The 27-year-old batted .308 last season, with a .534 slugging percentage. Ozuna, meanwhile, is back with the Braves after signing a four-year contract. His 26 home runs trail only Salvador Perez among all backstops. Kimbrel still has explosive stuff with a fastball that sits comfortably in the high-90s and a wipeout curveball that generated a staggering 59.3 percent whiff rate in 2021. Clemente is tied with Willie Mays for the the most Gold Gloves for an outfielder with 12. Honorable Mention: Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants. His OPS+ is 176 -- a standard surpassed by only four players: Babe Ruth (206), Ted Williams (191), Barry Bonds (182) and Lou Gehrig (179). Carlos Correa (Twins): 95.0 mph 5. Colavito is another player on this list who has a legendary arm. He . A former Gold Glove winner in left field, he is a roughly average defender in center field. J.T. with only his head and one arm free.The . Buxton, Myers, Pham, Laureano, Moore and Carlson could be double-digit homer and steal guys. 6 player in the Razzball Player Rater, despite playing just 130 games; give him Vladimir Guerrero's 161 games and he would've topped him for the No. Those being Eric Cross, Chris Clegg, Mick Ciallela, Justin Johnson, Jorge Montanez, David Mendelson . Share. As another player the Arizona Diamondbacks gave away, Adam Eaton continually shows himself to be a gritty . This year, he barely edges out Pittsburgh's Neil Walker, who checks in at minus-12-2, for the . The goal is to decide which team has the best catchers, infielders, outfielders, bench, starting pitchers and relief pitchers. They've responded with an MLB-best 3.05 ERA. Infielder Tyler Hardman also finds himself in the top 30, but unlike Fitts, he wasn't even ranked ahead of the 2022 season. MLB By Chris Novak on March 3, 2023. In the 60-game season, Bellinger hit .239 and was moved down in the lineup to the No. His .366 career average is a major league record. Jackie Bradley Jr., free agent Which outfielder has the strongest arm 2021? After back-to-back 20-plus-homer seasons in 2018 and 2019, Teoscar Hernandez showcased a more well-rounded offensive game last year, hitting .289/.340/.579 for a 146 OPS+ in 50 games to finish 11th in AL MVP voting and win a Silver Slugger Award. He hit .264/.367/.487 with 29 doubles, 23 home runs and 10 steals, which, coupled with his usual standout defense in right field, was enough for him to finish fourth in WAR on a stacked Dodgers roster. After years of teasing his immense raw power potential in the minors and sporadically in the big leagues, Tyler O'Neill finally put together his long-awaited breakout season. Barfield would consistently throw strikes from right field to home plate. He also has a career-high 16 steals in 18 attempts and provides Gold Glove-caliber defense. 1 guy is pretty obvious, through the compilation of thought from folks around the industry. Lagares easily has the most rARM per 1,000 innings over the last three seasons. Adj ER Saved - Our metric for catcher value in staff handling (similar to Catcher ERA but with important adjustments) But the Rays also added some competition for the starting role in former top prospect Francisco Mejia, whom they acquiredin the Blake Snell blockbuster. Statcast Statistics Player Batting 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | All The Milwaukee Brewers aren't far behind with a 3.11 ERA, and they have a trio of bona fide aces atop the staff that have helped lead them to the top of the NL Central standings. Scott Pianowski continues his tiered positional rankings by examining the outfield landscape for 2023 fantasy baseball drafts. He went three rounds without hitting a home run, and had one extra-base hit in the seven-game National League Championship Series against the Braves. He led the National League in outfield assists twice in his career. Managers who dont grab an outfielder in the first two rounds will still have an ample supply of impact players to choose from after that. Kevin Kiermaier, Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays bullpen has chewed through an MLB-leading 533.1 innings this season. February 13, 2023. But for now, it's not wholly clear whether the universal DH will be adopted for the 2021 season, despite the fact that both MLB and the Players Association want it. 1. While one of Ramirez's most memorable moments in the field occurred when he walked into the Green Monster mid-game, it should also been noted that Ramirez has also showcased his arm in front of that very same wall. . The wild card in this tier is Kelenic, MLB Pipelines No. Accuracy matters, too. "There's a nuance to disciplined hitting that needs to become a habit. The San Francisco Giants have had 16 different players tally at least 100 plate appearances this season, and that group does not count prized deadline pickup Kris Bryant. Rob Neyer ranked him as our best right fielder in his Big Book of Baseball Lineups (pre-Bautista). Wilmer Flores (358 PA, 102 OPS+, 15 HR, 44 RBI), LaMonte Wade Jr. (249 PA, 123 OPS+, 16 HR, 41 RBI) and Darin Ruf (230 PA, 151 OPS+, 14 HR, 33 RBI)have all been extremely productive in utility roles. From Jimenez's first season to his second, his wRC+ jumped from 116 to 141. Only 30 MLB hitters had a lower rate of soft contact than Jimenez -- Fernando Tatis Jr., Corey Seager, Anthony Rendon and Freddie Freeman were among those ranked ahead of him. The writers involved are Eric Cross, Chris Clegg, Mick Ciallela, Justin Dunbar, Ryan Kirksey, Nic Civale, Logan Kritzeck, and Matt Heckman. He is considered to be one of if not the best center fielders of all-time. The 33-year-old figures to be a hot commodity on the free-agent market this winter. The 27-year-old posted a 171 OPS+ with 42 extra-base hits in 254 plate appearances, and he had 10 DRS in 509.2 innings in center field. 3. 2023 Fantasy Baseball: Outfielders Rankings, Consensus Preseason Rankings for OF | FantasyPros 2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings Expert Consensus Ranking (32 of 36 Experts) - Feb 28, 2023 Pick. Along with a .199 average and 213 strikeouts, he led the AL with 111 walks and had a solid .351 on-base percentage. With the Astros first pick the 2021 draft, they took a prospect who fell right in their laps. he Boston Red Sox outfield exceeded expectations in 2021. With George Springer, Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert all missing considerable time and Cody Bellinger struggling through a down year, the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers narrowly missed the cut for the title of MLB's best outfield unit in 2021. His contract and track record mean more is expected of him, but he was still a top-15 outfielder. The 26-year-old got off to a slow start this year, but he caught fire in May and never looked back. There was a lot of debate during the truncated season why Yelich struggled so much -- and there's no disputing that his troubles were acute, something more than a slump. The guy who seemed to be in complete control of his plate appearances in his dominant seasons suddenly looked incredibly confused. Mantle earned one Gold Glove in his career and threw out 117 base runners from the outfield. But that seemed to be more about a rookie being overly aggressive than anything else. Even though Meusel played just 11 seasons, he still recorded 157 outfield assists. Below you'll find the consensus rankings that eight of our MLB writers were involved in. He also had the two fastest-tracked infield assists to first base -- reaching 94 mph -- and was responsible for about half of the 92-plus mph assists from all infielders. The quick reaction and retreat and leap before taking extra bases away from Brandon Lowe in Game 4 of the World Series. All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and accurate through Monday's games. Sits in the Top Ten of draft. He led the NL in home runs, RBIs and total bases last season, thriving with runners in scoring position: in those moments, Ozuna batted .364, with a .444 on-base percentage and a .623 slugging percentage. Evans was considered to have one of the greatest throwing arms in baseball in the 1970s. 15 throws) with an average arm strength of 88.4 mph on max-effort throws -- a.k.a. It's partially controllable. Need more power? Not just mine, but any site's rankings of outfielders will not be . Let's get right into it. It must be noted here that Tatis did have an issue with throwing miscues that drove down his overall defensive value. Of course, that required trading several core players, but given the fact that Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez were all rentals at last year's deadline, the Cubs made out phenomenally. With big-name, big-money free agents, there is usually a question of how the player will respond in big games, big moments. Those are absurd numbers to maintain for a full week, let alone half of a season. 6. February 26, 2023. He hit .281 with an .800 OPS after the All-Star break, and he capped off the season by winning his first Gold Glove. He was hitting .283/.394/.596 with 19 doubles, 24 home runs and 17 steals through 82 games at the time of the injury, good for a 3.6 WAR season. The corner outfield duo of Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker both rank among the MLB leaders in a number of offensive categories: Joining them isTyler Naquin, who earned a spot on the MLB roster on a minor league contract and is earning $1.5 million on a one-year deal. The ultra-versatile Taylor was an All-Star for the first time in 2021, posting a 110 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 20 home runs, 73 RBI, 92 runs scored and 13 steals in 148 games. He's clearly taken pride in his plate discipline from an early age and been rewarded with performance and -- I would also guess -- supportive coaching. The MLB Tonight panel breaks down the components of a good outfield arm. The regimented preparation that had worked for Yelich in the past was simply not available to him, and he may have suffered for it. Teel is an excellent athlete with a strong arm, and has a good swing with excellent hand acceleration, but he had some bad BABIP luck last year and hit just .276/.402/.439, a drop from his strong . T. Alex Verdugo, Kik Hernandez, and Hunter Renfroe were Boston's primary outfielders last season. And it would be a crime not to grab Bellinger in this five-tools exercise somewhere. The Red Sox acquired him at the deadline, and he finished with a 148 OPS+ and 32 home runs in 113 games, posting a .266/.374/.554 line that represented career highs across the board. Starling Marte, Miami Marlins Scouts noted that he has a plus arm in the. Bellinger has made some spectacular throws, like his 268-foot laser from right field to third base to bail the Dodgers out of a late-inning bases-loaded jam against the Mets last May 27 (his second outfield assist of that game). That duo has started all but one game behind the dish for the Rays this year and posted the following combined stat line in the process: Zunino, 30, was an All-Star for the first time this year. With club control through the 2025 season, he is a long-term building block for the O's. Homegrown players Steven Duggar and Austin Slater have also seen semi-regular time in the outfield, though Duggar was recently optioned to Triple-A now that Bryant can provide corner outfield depth as well. His career OPS is 1.000, exactly. And I'm talking about strong arms, not merely accurate ones.